Help Restore Trust In Political Life

By Ending Thinly Disguised Bribes

March 28, 1994

Florida law flatly bans "buying votes," yet highly paid lobbyists do so every day by raining free food, liquor, football tickets, trips, greens fees and other gifts on elected officials to woo their political support.

If state, county and city leaders aren't for sale, as they insist, they sure look as if they could be.

It's disgusting to see officials who ought to stay independent of lobbyists cozying up to them because of the freebies. It's unseemly to see lobbyists spending thousands of dollars on gifts to influence public policy in ways that can save or make them millions.

Lawmakers should toughen state law to reduce the value of gifts lobbyists may give to public officials from the present $100 per gift, which permits such valuable gifts as tickets to hit plays or playoff games, while adopting an upper limit on how many such gifts a lobbyist may give - or that an elected official can receive - each year.

It would be reasonable to limit lobbyist gifts to $25. Gifts worth $25 to $100 now must be reported, but are legal.

Ideally, anything more than a token gift of minor value should be banned if it comes from someone doing business with, regulated by or dependent upon favorable decisions of a government agency.

Why can't public officials pay their own way at dinner, buy their own drinks or meet lobbyists in an office setting?

Florida should also ban lobbyist-paid trips by state and local officials.

In fact, Florida should take its cue from a new Minnesota law imposing some of the toughest lobbying restrictions in America. It bans just about every lobbyist-provided perk Minnesota's elected officials have previously enjoyed. No more free tickets to Vikings football games. No more free ski trips. No more hors d'oeuvres at lobbyist-sponsored buffets. Not even a free cup of coffee, which may be carrying things a bit too far.

The ban on free food and drink does not apply when a public official appears before an organization to make a speech. Officials can accept mementos of "insignificant value."

Congress should also lower the $100 gift limit for its own members. The House approved a bill Thursday to substantially limit meals, vacation trips and gifts lobbyists can give to members of Congress and other top government officials. The Senate passed a weak bill last fall requiring lobbyists to disclose their spending, not limit it. The bills now go to a conference committee to iron out details.

The public views the too-cozy relationship between politicians and lobbyists as corrupt and detrimental to good government. The suggestion that government favors are for sale to the highest bidder fuels public mistrust of elected officials and the political process.

Political issues should be decided on their merits, not on the ability of deep-pocket special interests to buy a decision through thinly disguised bribes.